North Texas Swept In Saturday Doubleheader By Louisiana Tech

Series Finale Against Louisiana Tech Set For 1 P.M. Sunday

DENTON -- The North Texas softball team dropped both games of Saturday's home doubleheader to Louisiana Tech, falling 12-0 in five innings in game one and 5-2 in game two. North Texas (30-36, 3-14 C-USA) has now lost eight straight Conference USA games. The Mean Green scored two runs, collected six hits and committed five errors over the two games.

"Louisiana Tech came to play today," head coach Tracey Kee said. "They outplayed us in all facets of the game. Offensively, we have to get out of our own heads and realize that you can't just show up in the seventh and start swinging the bats."

In the circle for Louisiana Tech (26-16, 7-7 C-USA), sophomore Bailey Allen tossed a one-hit shutout and was one out shy of a no-hitter, while freshman Preslee Galloway also tossed a complete game, limiting the Mean Green to two runs on five hits in 7.0 innings.

The Lady Techsters scored 17 runs on 19 hits, including seven extra-base hits and four home runs.

"I asked our team what we need to do better to figure out how to win," Kee said. "We have talked about things, we have addressed things, we have practiced things, but in the last 10 games, we're 1-9. We have 10 more games. We control the outcomes of those 10 games."

Game One: Louisiana Tech 12, North Texas 0 (5)

Louisiana Tech sophomore Bailey Allen tossed a gem, taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning, before freshman outfielder Hannah Gerecke broke up the no-hit bid with a two-out double in the frame. At the plate, the Lady Techsters scored 12 runs over the final three innings, including five runs in the fifth, for the 12-0 run-rule win in five innings.

In the third, Louisiana Tech scored five runs on three hits, taking advantage of two North Texas errors in the inning. The Lady Techsters added two more runs in the fourth, both unearned, after another error kept the inning alive. Louisiana Tech put up another five-spot in the fifth with four extra-base hits, including a three-run home run.

Gerecke collected the first hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out double off the wall in right. Allen (12-6) earned the win, tossing a complete-game shutout and limiting the Mean Green to the single hit with two walks and a strikeout in 5.0 innings.

Junior Stacey Underwood (6-12) took the loss, giving up five runs -- four earned -- on five hits with a walk and a strikeout. Defensively, North Texas committed a season-high four errors leading to four unearned runs in the contest.

Game Two: Louisiana Tech 5, North Texas 2

Louisiana Tech scored three runs in the second innings, all with two outs, and that proved to be the difference in the game, as the Lady Techsters completed the doubleheader sweep with a 5-2 win in game two on Saturday.

After the first two outs were recorded in the second, Louisiana Tech strung together back-to-back singles, taking advantage of a North Texas error to score the first run of the game, and then extended the lead to 3-0 with a two-out, two-run home run to left.

North Texas answered in the bottom of the inning, scoring its first run of the doubleheader. Senior shortstop Karly Williams led off the inning with an infield single, and then two batters later, junior outfielder Danielle Gregory doubled to right, and Williams was able to score on a fielding error on the play.

The Lady Techsters pushed across a run each in the fourth and fifth innings, on a sacrifice fly in the fourth and a solo home run in the fifth. The Mean Green rallied in the bottom of the seventh, as freshman first baseman Rhylie Makawe, Williams and freshman catcher Casady Webb began the inning with three straight singles to load the bases with no outs.

With the bases loaded and no outs, junior outfielder Danielle Gregory reached on a fielder's choice and scored Makawe from third on the play. With the would-be, game-tying run at the plate, Louisiana Tech freshman Preslee Gallaway then got a game-ending double play.

Gallaway (7-1) pitched a complete game, giving up two runs -- one earned -- on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts in 7.0 innings. She did not allow a base runner outside of the second and seventh innings. Junior Jessica Elder (13-9) took the loss, as she allowed five runs on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 4.1 innings.

Quick Hits:

North Texas has lost eight straight Conference USA games and 13 of its last 15 games overall

North Texas was shutout for the sixth time in 15 games and seventh time overall this season

The Mean Green were limited to a season-low one hit in game one

Karly Williams tallied her ninth multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-3 with a run scored in game two